


Mistletoe and Wine

by Persiflage



Category: Law & Order: UK
Genre: F/M, First Time, Gift Fic, Relationship(s), Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-02
Updated: 2011-01-02
Packaged: 2017-10-14 08:25:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/147302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persiflage/pseuds/Persiflage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas and despite being busy Alesha and James manage to find time to have a little fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mistletoe and Wine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fourzoas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fourzoas/gifts).



> Another fic I wrote from a 2009 Yuletide prompt (because I got hopelessly muddled at the yuletide site, and forgot it was 2011 now!). Fourzoas didn't specify a prompt, just Alesha/James and no dub/non-con, so I figured I'd write some Christmassy fluff!  
>  **Disclaimer:** ITV owns Law  & Order: UK - I wish they were mine!

Alesha's working through a long list of phone calls, combing it for evidence in their current case, when a sort of choking noise makes her look up to see George staring up at the doorframe of the office she now shares with James.

She keeps her finger pressed firmly to the page, marking the line she's reached as she watches George. Finally he tears his eyes away and looks over at her, and she gives him a slight smile.

"Do you know who put this here?" he asks, pointing up at the lintel.

"Well Cathy and Martin were doing the decorating," she tells him. "But in all fairness to them I didn't see them actually carrying any, and neither one of them is tall enough to reach up there anyway."

"Hmm." George looks along the corridor and through the window Alesha sees James approaching. "Is this your doing?" the older man asks irritably, pointing upwards again.

James' face breaks out into a huge grin and George suddenly steps smartly through the doorway, which makes Alesha grin too.

"No," James answers glibly, but Alesha's not entirely sure she believes him.

"Harrumph," says George, crossing the room towards his own office and shooting a suspicious glance upwards before he goes through the door, which he closes firmly behind him.

"I don't think he believes you," Alesha says to James as he crosses to her desk and sits down in the chair on the other side.

"Really?" he says, and she can tell he's amused by this.

"Well, I can't blame him," she says, looking over at the very large mistletoe decoration on their doorframe.

He smirks at her, then delves into the bag he's carrying.

"What have you got there?" she asks curiously, as he begins lining things up on the edge of her desk.

"Wine and spices," he says cheerfully. "I thought we might mull some wine tonight."

Alesha's eyebrows rise. "Why not just buy some mulled wine?" she asks.

He looks surprised. "Because that's boring!"

She laughs. "All right then, Mr Steel, we'll mull some wine."

He looks very pleased at this, and she shakes her head in amusement: somehow she'd never expected James to be such a big kid about Christmas, but he is absurdly and madly keen on the whole thing: presents, decorations, parties, mulled wine (apparently) and everything else too. In a way it's quite refreshing from the usual sort of cynicism of a lot of adults, and she's finding herself gradually entering into the spirit of things with him.

She goes back to her phone list, and he takes himself (and his wine and spices) back to his own desk. Alesha's so caught up in her digging for information, in fact, that some time later she stands in the doorway to the office talking to Cathy for a few minutes as she's returning from the archive room. Cathy goes off down the corridor and Alesha turns around to enter the office properly, only to find James standing directly in front of her.

"Oh!" she gasps, startled by his close proximity, but before she can say another word, he's ducked his head and is pressing his lips gently but firmly to hers, one hand coming up to hold the back of her neck and head steady.

When he lets go and moves his head away, Alesha's lips are tingling and she feels slightly dazed. "James," she says breathlessly.

"Alesha," he murmurs, then ducks his head for a second, lengthier, kiss.

When he releases her the second time, she puts a hand on his chest to steady herself. She's glad that most of her colleagues have gone home for the night, although she suspects George is still in his office.

"Are you ready to go home?" James asks.

She laughs slightly. "If I wasn't before, I am now."

He smirks. "Good." He steps back, so she goes over to her desk and sets down the files she's brought from the archive room. Then she moves around the desk to shut down her computer before gathering up her bag, scarf and coat.

James knocks lightly on George's door, then opens it and sticks his head through. "We're off George, goodnight."

He calls a goodnight, and James shuts the door again, then glances at her to see if she's ready and she gives him a nod.

* * * * * *

At James' flat they eat Chinese take-away before he sets about preparing the various ingredients for the mulled wine, and Alesha watches his quick, clever hands as he peels, chops, slices and stirs. It was his hands she noticed the first time they were introduced: his handshake was firm and when he talked to her he gestured several times, and she'd found herself almost mesmerised by the gracefulness of his gestures. Even now, after two years of working with him, she still likes to watch his hands as he works.

"Do you like Christmas music?" he asks, breaking into her thoughts.

"What sort?" she asks curiously.

He gives a little shrug. "All sorts." He nods to the CD player on the shelf above the cupboard. "There's a CD in there already."

She goes over and presses play, then picks up the empty case. To her surprise it's a jewel case with a track listing card written in James' neat script, meaning it's a compilation CD that he's made himself. She discovers it contains a mixture of traditional Christmas carols and classical music, and classic Christmas rock songs, and she smiles as she sees several of her own favourites listed.

"Nice," she tells him, wandering over to his side.

"Thank you." He leans sideways and kisses her briefly, before turning his attention back to the mulled wine, and she steps closer to wrap her arms around his body.

"We should take some of this in with us tomorrow," he suggests. "See if we can cheer up George."

Alesha giggles. "Have you ever seen him tipsy?" she asks.

"No," he says, sounding regretful. "I'm sure it would be fascinating."

"Come to think of it," she says, "I've never seen you tipsy either."

He smirks down at her. "Nor will you," he says. "I've a hard head."

She pouts a little. "Shame," she mutters.

"Why would you want to see me tipsy?" he asks.

"I think it would be instructive," she says, grinning up at him.

He shakes his head, smiling too. "You're daft." He picks up a glass and ladles in some of the wine. "How's this?"

She takes the glass from him carefully, then blows on it to cool it a bit before taking a cautious sip. "Lovely."

"Good." He tops up her glass, fills one for himself, then takes her hand and leads her into the sitting room.

"We can't hear the CD now," she observes as she sets down her glass, then sits on the sofa.

"True." He returns to the kitchen and comes back with the CD, in the case, then puts it into the rather more expensive and sophisticated music centre he has in the sitting room.

"I love the Harold Darke version of 'In the Bleak Midwinter'," she tells him as he sits down beside her.

"Do you?"

She nods as he puts his arm around her and shifts closer to him. "It reminds me of Christmas with my mum when I was a child, listening to the BBC broadcast of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's. Mum's always listened to that service."

"What other Christmas traditions do you have?"

They talk for some time, discussing childhood Christmases in detail, while drinking the mulled wine, and James, true to his word, seems completely unaffected, but Alesha is definitely tending towards tipsiness.

"I'd better take you home," he says, looking at the clock.

Alesha squints at it. "Timeisit?" she asks, her words slurring together.

"Eleven."

"I'll gettacab."

"Then I'll come with you," he says. "I really don't think you're fit to go home alone." She blinks owlishly up at him and he frowns. "Or you could stay here, and I can sleep on the sofa."

"Don'wanna kickyou outta bed," she tells him.

He raises his eyebrows. "Stay there," he says, and disappears, leaving Alesha slumped in the corner of the sofa.

He returns with a large jug of water and a glass, and he makes her drink two full glasses. "Better?" he asks.

"Yeah," she says, sounding rather more like her usual self.

"You can stay the night if you want. I don't mind the sofa."

She frowns at him. "What's wrong with sharing the bed?"

"Nothing," he says, "but I didn't think you were ready for that."

She feels a blush heating her face and looks away from his anxious expression. "I don't know if I'm ready for sex with you," she says quietly. "But I don't mind sleeping in the same bed with you."

He reaches out and gently turns her face back to his. "If you're okay with that," he says gently, "then I am too. I just didn't want you to think I was going to take advantage."

She shakes her head, feeling tears pricking her eyes. "You wouldn't," she tells him.

"Then let's go to bed." He helps her up from the sofa and uses the remote to silence the music centre, then leads her along the hall to his bedroom. He pushes the door open and flicks on the light, then gestures for her to go first, and after only a momentary hesitation she steps into the room.

"Do you want to wear one of my pyjama tops as a nightshirt?" he asks, looking slightly awkward.

"Please."

He pulls open the middle drawer in the chest of drawers against the far wall and takes out a dark blue checked pyjama top, which he puts on the bed. "I'm going to lock up," he says. "Bathroom's next door."

"I remember," she says. She's grateful that he absents himself so that she can undress in privacy. Since their joint ice-skating trip with Ethan she's shared kisses and cuddles with James, but they still haven't slept together, or had sexual intercourse. Sometimes she desperately wants to share her body with him, but something always holds her back; she wonders if that will change tonight.

When James returns a few minutes later, Alesha's sitting on the edge of the bed, with the bedding folded neatly back, and when he gives her an enquiring look, she says "I didn't know which side you prefer to sleep."

He gives her a gentle smile. "I usually sleep in the middle, actually, so you choose."

She turns and swings her legs up onto the bed, then pulls the bedding up to her shoulders. She watches as he pulls his pyjamas from under the pillow.

"Do you want me to change in the bathroom?" he asks.

She shakes her head, then closes her eyes while he gets undressed. Her eyes snap open again when he turns on the bedside light beside her, before he switches off the central light. He walks around to the far side of the bed and gets in, leaving a polite distance between them.

"James?"

"Mmm?"

"I don't mind if you hold me for a bit," she says shyly.

He smiles and shifts closer, then slips his arm under her and she closes the distance between them, snuggling into his side.

"Goodnight Alesha."

"Night James." She closes her eyes, then feels him kiss the top of her head and sighs softly.

* * * * * *

Alesha wakes up about half past four the following morning to find she's lying on her side and James' body is curled around hers, one arm draped over her waist. She shifts slightly, then stills when she realises that he's aroused; she knows that's perfectly natural since her last boyfriend regularly woke with a stiffy, but she hadn't anticipated being aware of James being in such a state. She lies there, breathing deeply; she's fairly certain James is still asleep and she wonders whether he'd be embarrassed if she woke him up and asked him to move. She's still trying to decide the answer to that one when he shifts against her, tightening his hold on her, and she suddenly realises that she's growing aroused by the pressure of his erection against her arse. She hadn't expected that, but even more unexpected is the realisation that she's not as horrified as she initially thought she was. She turns in his arms and presses her body against his.

"James." She says his name softly but he snaps awake almost instantly.

"Alesha? Oh!"

She considers it quite adorable that he blushes when he realises; he screws his eyes shut. "I'm sorry," he whispers, and starts to pull away, but she tightens her hold on him.

"It's okay." His eyes open again and he gives her a doubtful look. "Really," she tells him. "I don't mind." She bites her bottom lip, then adds in a whisper. "I like it."

His eyes widen when she leans in to kiss him and she grins, then kisses him again, running her tongue over his lips until he parts them. She deepens the kiss, shifting against him and he flops onto his back, pulling her with him and she moves so that's she's lying on top of him.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks, sounding doubtful.

"Yes." She reaches down between their bodies to cup his erection through his pyjama trousers, smirking when he gasps and twitches at her touch. She fondles him for a few moments, then moves so that she's sitting on his legs, allowing her to pull the waistband down past his groin.

"Alesha," he moans, sounding desperate, which gives her a thrill.

"James," she answers, pushing herself up and then moving so that she can guide him inside her now slick heat.

"Oh bloody hell!"

Alesha laughs, ridiculously amused and turned on by his reaction.

"Minx," he growls, grasping her waist to hold her steady as she begins to move up and down, then up again before circling her hips. She grins down at him and he reaches up to unbutton the pyjama top, so she leans forward over him, the top falling open to allow him access to her breasts.

"You are the best Christmas present a man could have," he tells her, and she laughs again.

"You're not so bad yourself," she says, then proceeds to drive them both over the brink of orgasm before she flops down onto his chest, breathing heavily. "Merry Christmas James."

"And to you, Alesha," he says in a tender tone, stroking a hand up and down her side.

She smiles, deciding that mulled wine is good for many things.


End file.
